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HRD Ministry sits on plan to increase polytechnic seats

HYDERABAD: With the Ministry of Human Resources Development taking its own time to give the go ahead to engineering colleges to offer polytechnic courses on shift basis, the State government’s plans to significantly increase polytechnic seats this year are hanging in balance.

Ideally, the ratio of engineering and polytechnic candidates should be 1:4. But, while there are 1.75 lakh engineering seats, polytechnic seats available are only 39,000 though the demand is on the rise in line with industry needs.

To correct the skewed ratio in the intake of engineering and diploma holders, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy had written to the MHRD in his previous tenure to allow engineering colleges to offer polytechnic courses with their existing resources.

The MHRD responded positively and issued a notification inviting applications. However, more than 100 engineering colleges, which applied for permission to run polytechnic courses, are still awaiting clearance.

39,000 seats filled

The proposal to start a second shift in more polytechnic colleges is also pending with the Centre, according to officials of Technical Education.

The web-based counselling to fill 39,000 seats for those who have qualified for the Common Entrance Examination for Polytechnics (CEEP) was completed last week and the final allocation of seats on the basis of merit and reservation norms will be completed in a day or two. If MHRD clears additional seats in the near future, then second round of counselling could be possible, they added.

In tune with the industry requirement, the curriculum has been revised to improve employability skills of students.

The three-year curriculum would now have the last and sixth semester devoted to compulsory practical training of six-month duration in any industry to enable the students know the needs of the industry and gain hands on experience.

Similarly, English language would get renewed focus with emphasis on functional communication skills.

Earlier 180 hours of English was confined to only first year, now it would be spread to all the three years so that the student would remain in touch with the language.